Eva launches river rehabilitation project

The village of Eva on the northern coast of Upolu will be undergoing a river rehabilitation project to provide stability to the bank as well as widening and deepening of the channel.

The rehabilitation project was made possible with the financial assistance of $50,000 from the Civil Society Support Programme in collaboration with U.N.D.P through the Adaptation fund.

Yesterday the launching of the project took place in Eva with representatives, Taupau Joseph Mulipola and Christina Taua, from C.S.S.P attending as guests of the village.

Eva is highly vulnerable to riverine flooding during the rainy season which was evident during and after Cyclone Gita when the floodwaters broke the river banks resulting in residential flooding causing severe damage.

The river rehabilitation project was proposed by the Village Council of Eva to construct a revetment wall along one side of the river to provide stability to the bank as well as widening and deepening of the channel.

The programme manager for C.S.S.P, Christina Taua, told the Samoa Observer that the project was made possible with their partnership with U.N.D.P through the adaptation fund.

A revetment wall for stability and a wider and deeper channel is planned for river. Photo/Misiona Simo

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: Eva residents and guests at the launch of its river rehabilitation project.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: Eva residents and guests at the launch of its river rehabilitation project.

According to Ms. Taua similar projects were implemented in other villages who applied to their organisation for funding

“There’s a vetting process,” she said. “The assessment of each proposal and we work together with our steering committee to identify the most suitable projects that align with the requirements of the donors and the requirements of each of the programmes that provide funding for communities.”

According to Ms. Taua the river rehabilitation project only applies to one side of the river and she explained that there are plans in the future to address the other side of the riverbank.

“At the moment they only have funds to build one side of the wall but there’s plans in the pipe line to rebuild the other side because there are families on the other side,” she said.

“We want to continue the initiative to improve the climate resilience of their community. Like every other vulnerable community in Samoa they faced extreme flooding in cases of erosion and as you can see now, it’s a big improvement to the past.”

The standard period of implementation is 12 months and C.S.S.P will provide ongoing monitoring and support.